> [[joshua-17|← Previous]] | [[joshua-00|TOC]] | [[joshua-19|Next →]] --- # Joshua, Chapter 18 ## Chapter 18 1 The whole community of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh, where they set up the tent of meeting; and the land was subdued before them. ^joshua-18-1 **The Seven Remaining Portions.** 2 There remained seven tribes among the Israelites that had not yet received their heritage. ^joshua-18-2 3 Joshua therefore said to the Israelites, “How much longer will you put off taking steps to possess the land which the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you? ^joshua-18-3 4 Choose three representatives from each of your tribes; I will send them to go throughout the land and describe it for purposes of acquiring their heritage. When they return to me ^joshua-18-4 5 you shall divide it into seven parts. Judah is to retain its territory in the south, and the house of Joseph its territory in the north. ^joshua-18-5 6 You shall bring to me here the description of the land in seven sections. I will then cast lots for you here before the LORD, our God. ^joshua-18-6 8 When those who were to describe the land were ready for their journey, Joshua commanded them, “Go throughout the land and describe it; return to me and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” ^joshua-18-8 9 So they went through the land, described its cities in writing in seven sections, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ^joshua-18-9 **Benjamin.** 11 One lot fell to the tribe of Benjaminites by their clans. The territory allotted them lay between the descendants of Judah and those of Joseph. ^joshua-18-11 12 Their northern boundary began at the Jordan and went over the northern flank of Jericho, up westward into the mountains, until it reached the wilderness of Beth-aven. ^joshua-18-12 13 From there it crossed over to the southern flank of Luz (that is, Bethel). Then it ran down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountaintop south of Lower Beth-horon. ^joshua-18-13 14 For the western border, the boundary line swung south from the mountaintop opposite Beth-horon until it reached Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim; this city belonged to the Judahites). This was the western boundary. ^joshua-18-14 15 The southern boundary began at the limits of Kiriath-jearim and projected to the spring at Nephtoah. ^joshua-18-15 16 It went down to the edge of the mountain on the north of the Valley of Rephaim, where it faces the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and continuing down the Valley of Hinnom along the southern flank of the Jebusites, reached En-rogel. ^joshua-18-16 17 Inclining to the north, it extended to En-shemesh, and thence to Geliloth, opposite the pass of Adummim. Then it dropped to Eben-Bohan-ben-Reuben, ^joshua-18-17 18 across the northern flank of the Arabah overlook, down into the Arabah. ^joshua-18-18 19 From there the boundary continued across the northern flank of Beth-hoglah and extended northward to the tongue of the Salt Sea, toward the southern end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary. ^joshua-18-19 20 The Jordan bounded it on the east. This was how the heritage of the Benjaminites by their clans was bounded on all sides. ^joshua-18-20 21 Now the cities belonging to the tribe of the Benjaminites by their clans were: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, ^joshua-18-21 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ^joshua-18-22 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophra, ^joshua-18-23 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities and their villages. ^joshua-18-24 25 Also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ^joshua-18-25 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, ^joshua-18-26 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ^joshua-18-27 28 Zela, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath; fourteen cities and their villages. This was the heritage of the clans of Benjaminites. ^joshua-18-28 \* (18:12] – [20) Benjamin’s northern boundary (vv. [12] – [13]) corresponded to part of the southern boundary of Ephraim ([16:1] – [2]). Their western border (v. [14]) was the eastern border of Dan (cf. [19:40] – [47]). Their southern boundary (vv. [15] – [19]) corresponded to part of the northern boundary of Judah ([15:5] – [9]). a. (18:1) [Jos 11:23]; [14:15]; [19:51]. b. (18:5) [Jos 15:1] – [17:18]. c. (18:7) [Jos 13:8], [33]. d. (18:12] – [13) [Jos 16:1] – [5]. e. (18:13) [Gn 28:19]. f. (18:16] – [18) [Jos 15:6] – [8]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[joshua-17|← Previous]] | [[joshua-00|TOC]] | [[joshua-19|Next →]]